Cat activists urge Orlando hotels to keep feral cats

Animal-rights activists have called for a boycott of the Loews hotels at Universal Orlando because the resorts have decided to change their stance on providing a safe harbor for feral cats.

The Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort had what Orange County Animal Services dubbed a "model program" for dealing with strays that included trapping and spaying or neutering them before returning them to a cat colony on the property. But the hotels said this week they have now been warned that, for liability reasons, they should not maintain the colonies.

Cat lovers across the U.S. are not happy.

"I feel sick," Shari Bambino wrote on the hotels' Facebook page. "My family and I chose your property for a recent vacation specifically because of the way you modeled good world citizenship by caring for these cats … We had planned to return for another visit this summer. I will be watching and hoping for good news."

Christine Michaels, who runs the Riverfront Cats advocacy group in South Florida, sounded the alarm Monday after learning about the end of Loews' trap-neuter-release program. She contacted fellow cat bloggers, unleashing a wave of social-media protests encouraging cat lovers to call and email the hotels.

A spokeswoman for Loews would not go into detail about what the hotel was planning to do with the cats but said: "Some options have been offered that we will consider. … Any action we take will make the health and safety of our guests and team members our top priority."

Earlier this week, Loews told those commenting on its Facebook page that the feral cats at its Orlando hotels were "being humanely trapped and taken to a local shelter." But on Friday it said the cat colony remained "unharmed and on property."

"We are working to find a solution that keeps the health and safety of our guests a priority while taking the most humane approach possible," the company wrote. "Loews Hotels welcomes any viable suggestions. If you'd like to make a recommendation or can provide a safe sanctuary for these feral cats, please contact: input@loewshotels.com."

The controversy is perhaps more noteworthy because Loews touts its love of animals in its promotions, using the tagline "Loews Loves Pets." According to the company's website, it has the "most pet friendly hotels around," with pets receiving gifts and special treats at check-in.

George Ricci, a bellman who began Loews' trap-neuter-release program about five years ago, said there are about 20 cats at the two properties. Caretakers arrange for the food and care at their own expense; Loews had a "don't ask, don't tell" approach, until now, he said.

"They never told us they were calling the exterminators," he said. "The first thing that triggered us is we saw traps set around the property." Loews has removed the traps, Ricci said, and he hopes to convince management that keeping the current colony is the best way to prevent more strays from moving in and multiplying.

Animal-rights activists argue that even relocating cats can be inhumane because it alienates them from familiar territory and a food source they have come to trust. Feral cats cannot be adopted as house pets because they are not accustomed to dealing with people.

According to Orange County Animal Services, which paid a visit to the hotels on Thursday, none of Universal's cats have arrived at its shelters. The animal-services officer who visited the hotels reported that Universal had decided to give the cats' caretakers a chance to relocate them, with a deadline of next Wednesday. But Universal has since removed the deadline, the county agency said.

Kat Kennedy, a spokeswoman for Orange County Animal Services, said the agency has notified a volunteer organization that helps establish and care for feral-cat colonies and is working to coordinate the various groups interested in resolving the situation.

"Of course, from our perspective, the most important thing is that everything is done in a humane fashion," Kennedy said.